Dr Margaret Flynn has been appointed the chair of a new national board to oversee the work of protecting adults and children in Wales, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford announced today.
 
The National Independent Safeguarding Board has been established under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. It will work alongside the regional safeguarding adults boards and safeguarding children boards to secure improvements in safeguarding policy and practice throughout Wales.
 
Dr Flynn has a wealth of knowledge of adult safeguarding. She undertook the serious case review into the physical and psychological abuse suffered by people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour at Winterbourne View Hospital in south Gloucestershire.
 
In December 2013, she was commissioned by the First Minister of Wales to undertake a review of the neglect of older people living in care homes in Gwent, investigated as Operation Jasmine.
 
The Minister has appointed five members to the board:
 
Keith Towler, the former Children’s Commissioner for Wales;
Ruth Henke QC, an eminent lawyer in the protection of children and vulnerable adults;
Simon Burch, a former director of social services at Monmouthshire Council;
Jan Pickles OBE, programme director at the NSPCC;
Rachel Shaw, designated nurse, safeguarding children at Public Health Wales.
 
The chair and board members were appointed by Welsh Ministers through an open public appointments process.